Introduction
The principle of freedom of an individual is the core tenet of liberalism. The foundation of liberalism is categorized into three. The first is the freedom from arbitrary rule, termed “negative freedom” which includes freedom of the press, equality before the law, freedom of conscience and right to property. The second set of rights ensures the protection and promotion of the capacity and opportunity for freedom, which is called the “positive freedom.” Example of such rights are the social and economic rights to health care, education, gainful employment, for human dignity and participation in the society. Thirdly, political rights of democratic representation or participation i.e right to vote or be voted for to ensure that the other two rights are not infringed upon (Kant & Political Philosophy, 1993. p. 173).
Liberalism today could slightly be different from earlier views as a result of changes in time and history however the fundamental tent of liberty and the ideals of freedom, equality, independence as expressed by Kant remains the same and paramount.
He was an eighteenth-century philosopher during a period dominated by the ideas of the Enlightenment. He was heavily influenced by Jean-Jacque Rousseau…. His first philosophical writing was the Critique of Pure Reason published in 1781. Kant view of freedom is the independence of one from the constraint of another’s will
Kant was more concerned with the establishment of a republican government that respects the political rights of all men to live in a just and peaceful society. If we are to achieve peace, we must focus our effort towards ensuring that we identify our shared identity for peace and equality. We must also believe in the noumenal reality.
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...mony in preparation for any such occurrence creating unnecessary tension in the world society. It is stated that there are approximately 15,700 nuclear warheads worldwide, around which 4,300 of them are considered to be operational and 1,800 are ready for immediate use (FAS.org, September 28, 2015). His however not a pacifist, he admitted that war for the sake of freedom is justifiable. He strongly criticised the concept of balance of power stressing that it does not guarantee perpetual peace. The combination of forces by two or more states against a mutual enemy state is according to him a violation of right. He dismisses utilitarianism noting that rulers should not take actions that make their citizens happy; happiness is subjective. Every decision should come as a result of reason which would allow the subject pursue happiness on their own terms (ibid., p. 25).
Liberal freedom is the absence of subjective legal or institutional restraints on the individual, containing the idea that all citizens are to be treated equally. Freedom as self-government involves an assumed individual state of independence, self-determination, superiority, and self-confidence. Participatory freedom includes the right to the individual to partake fully in the political process. Collective deliverance is agreed as the liberation of a group from outside control-from imprisonment, bondage, or domination. (Walton Jr & Smith,
Liberalism is an ideology which advocates equality of opportunity for all within the framework of a system of laws. It includes a belief in government as an institution whose primary function is to define and enforce the laws. Furthermore, a Constitution, must be developed not solely by one ruler but by representatives of the elite groups. Therefore, liberalism invariably involves a belief in the need for legislative bodies which represent the influential groups. The Constitution then defines ...
- Liberalism is a form of political structure where the powers of the government are limited against the people and their property
Typically Liberalism can be categorized into two different strands, Classical and Modern (yet some thinkers advocate a third strand that is referred to as Neo-Liberalism), each characterized by their differing and to some extent unavoidably overlapping attitudes regarding the theory behind the ideology and how it should be put into practice. Prior to examining how these relate to one another and before making any comparisons, it is important to give a definition, as best as possible, of Liberalism as a concept.
On the other hand, liberalism’s main principles emphasise, human rights, individuality, equality before the law...
Since propositions of rights are a pervasive and contested feature of our political practice, the question of what they should be taken to mean is a central problem for political theory. Whether we hold them to be self-evident truths, or nonsense, or fictions, or something else, we cannot avoid taking some view of their sense if we are to give an adequate account or critique of our political principles and institutions.
Liberalism-derived from the Latin word ‘liber’ which means “free and not enslaved”- is seen as the dominant ideology of the western civilisation. During the European history before the modern society, it was characterised by absolutism and feudalism. That time was also called ‘the age of absolutism’.... ... middle of paper ... ...
In the context of enlightenment Kant believes that freedom is the best way to achieve enlightenment. Freedom accord...
Liberalism is universalistic and tolerant. It believes that all persons share fundamental interest in self preservation and material well being. Each individual must be allowed to follow hi s or her own preferences as long as they do not d...
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was one of the most influential philosophers in the history of Western philosophy. He was a professor of philosophy at Konigsberg, in Prussia, researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy during and at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment. His contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics have had a profound impact on almost every philosophical movement that followed him.
Kant believed that morality has to be something free and freely controlled by the person taking the moral action excluding consequences because consequences are not controllable. Morality is freely chosen and legislated universal law that any rational being could construct and all rational beings who want to be moral do
Liberalism in the sense of a political philosophy was created on the ideas of equality and liberty for everyone. Basically liberalism is concerned with the notion of how individuals in political communities are able to maximize their freedom without violating the rights of other individuals. The liberalistic view on politics is that a legitimate government is necessary to protect the rights of individuals from being harmed by others. Liberalism also ensures that there is a higher authority which protects the freedoms and rights of individuals while also ensuring legitimacy of government. Liberalism is the founding base for much of the Western world’s government policies and constitution. Liberalism ensures tolerance and promotes acceptance between humans and their differences.
Individual freedom is often seen as the core value of Liberalism. Nevertheless, freedom can be divided into two categories: negative and positive. Negative freedom, which is traditionally associated with Classical Liberalism, advocates the belief in non-interference, the absence of all external constraints upon the individual. This implies that individuals should be free to pursue their own interests free from outside restrictions or pressures.
Modern day society is engrossed in a battle for protection of individual rights and freedoms from infringement by any person, be it the government or fellow citizens. Liberalism offers a solution to this by advocating for the protection of personal freedom. As a concept and ideology in political science, liberalism is a doctrine that defines the motivation and efforts made towards the protection of the aforementioned individual freedom. In the current society, the greatest feature of liberalism is the protection of individual liberty from intrusion or violation by a government. The activities of the government have, therefore, become the core point of focus. In liberalism, advocacy for personal freedom may translate to three ideal situations, based on the role that a government plays in a person’s life. These are no role, a limited role or a relatively large role. The three make up liberalism’s rule of thumb. (Van de Haar 1). Political theorists have
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher during the Enlightenment, a time when dramatic changes were taking place in philosophy, the sciences, and politics. He was born on April 22, 1724 in Konigsberg, Prussia, a town that he would never leave. His father was a saddle maker, and his mother was known for her character and natural intelligence. Kant’s family lived modestly, and was active in the Pietism branch of the Lutheran Church. Kant’s pastor made it possible for him to receive an education, by admitting him to the Pietism School at the age of eight. Here Kant studied Latin and theology until he was sixteen. (3)